Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1887-04-15
VOL. XIV.
HOME LIFE OF BISMARCK
THE GREAT GERMAN CHANCEL.
LoR ON HIS ESTATE.
Various Industries in Which he Is
Engaged-DaiIy Life at Home
His Entertainments.

various Industries in Which he Is
Engaged-Daily Life at Home
His Entertainments.
Besides his patrimonial estates a,
Schenhausen and Kniephof, Bismarck
owns Varzin, purchased in 1866 with
$3OO, 900 that the Emperor presented
him after the war with Austria, and in
1871 he received from the same source
the estate of Friedrichsrube, which cost
$400, 900. His income from these prop.
critics and other private sources now ex-
ceeds $1OO, 600 year. He manages his
estates himself and does so very success
fully, being not only farmer, but lum-
Der dealer, brewer, distiller, saw-mill
owner and paper manufacturer; he is
thoroughly posted in the various pro-
cesses of these diverse industries and
keeps sharp lookout for all improve
ments and new inventions relating to
them. When in the country Bismarck
takes off his uniform, puts on a thick
gray cloth sack coat, and by nine o'clock
every morning starts out, followed by his
dogs, for walk over the estate. Between
ten and eleven he returns to the house,
! and, while waiting for breakfast, ex-
amines the mail bag and answers the
kilograms which may have arrived during
the night. After breakfast he receives
his tenants, ovcrseers and gamekeepers,
and at two o'clock goes out in a carriage
or on horseback to visit some distant part
OF the property, rarely getting back until
shortly before his dinner, which is served
at $50. The coffee is served in the bill
lard room, where the Prince smokes his
pipe seated in front of large wood fire,
and where he remains until servant an
nounces that tea is ready in the saloon of
the Princess. By that time it is 1890,
and before midnight he retires to his
bedroom, where he often lies awake
reading for hours and hours.
sits impossible for any one occupying
such position in the world to escape en-
tirely, even for a short time, the cares of
public life, oftice-seekers, petitioners,
visitors of all sorts constantly arriving at
Varzin, the Chancellor resorts to ruses of
all sorts to avaid them. His wife usually
intervenes to rid him of these visitors.
One day foreign Ambassador asked
Bismarck at the close of long conversa-
tion how he managed to get rid of people
who bored him. Every easily" was the
answer. "When my wife thinks that
any one has been with me too long she
sends some one to ask me to come to her,
and of course the visitor must 60" At
that moment the servant opened the door
and said that the Princess requested the
Prince to come to her at once. When
his duties do not compel his presence in
Derlin, tle Ol.svlIOSlIoI dIr t~1u, 11ts UIrlI0
between Varzin and Friedrichsruhe. The
mansion on this latter estate is furnished
very simply; all the walls and ceilings
are white-washed, his furniture is scanty
and uncomfortable, and the only orna-
ments are portraits of Theirs, Beacons-
field and Cardinal Hohenlohe, large
bronze bust of Won Voltke, bronze
statue of the great Elector, presented to
the Chancellor by the Emperor, plaster
cast of an equestrian statue Of Charlie
magne, large portrait of the Emperor
William, few family portraits and some
landscapes representing views from vari-
Gus portions of the estate. The only art
for which the Chancellor has any fond
ness is music, not that he is musical
himself, but because it gives him
great pleature to listen to fine sing
ing and playing. His love for his
wife and children is very deep
and is warmly returned, the family
being in every respect model of do
nestle union and affection. So fond is
he of his home life that he never accepts
any invitations except those of the EN-
peror, and never goes to the theatre, to
balls, banquets or other entertainments.
He is, however, fond of entertaining, and
the great chambers at Varzin and Fried
richsruhe are always occupied when he is
at those estates Once year he gives q
formal entertainment to the whole male
portion of the Diplomatic Corps, and also
gives frequent parliamentary dinners dur
ing the sessions of the Reichstag.
The Chancellor is an interesting talker,
and has at his command an inexhaustible
stock of anecdotes, which are always well
told. His irritability makes him hard
man to get along with, especially for his
subordinates. NJ. Busch relates that he,
one evening in 1877, heard Bismarck
complain very bitterly of his lot in life
His career, he said, had given very little
satisfaction to himself personally, and
won him very few friends; he had not
added to the happiness of himself, Of his
family or Of any one One of those who
heard him say this suggested that he had
made great nation very happy. "Yes,"
he replied, "but how many other nations
have l rendered unhappy9 But for me
three great wars would never have taken
place, 80, 600 men would not have been
killed in battle, fathers, mothers,
brothers, sisters and wives would not
have been plunged into misery. I have
settled all that with my conscience and
with my Creator, but l have reaped very
little, if any, happiness from all that
have done; the only things it has yielded
me are various anxieties and griefs. -
Boston Herald.